Steady Sun
by wishiwasedwards
Summary: A story about the Cullen's life after Breaking Dawn. How far will Rosalie go to get what she's wanted her whole life? Will Bella and Edward stand behind her, or will her desperation push their love to the limit?
1. One and Two

**Chapter One**

**Steady Sun**

**Fan-Fiction**

The familiar, sweet notes of my lullaby drifted towards me. I smiled and left Reneesme sleeping in her bed, placing her hand back by her side. That was enough dream watching for a night.

Edward was waiting for me in the front room of our New Hampshire house. I crossed the room in the blink of an eye and sat next to him on the bench, resting my head on his shoulder. As the song wound down to its close, I closed my eyes and thought of the memories the lullaby carried. Lying on my bed in Forks, falling asleep in Edward's arms. Our honeymoon on Isle Esme. An infinite amount of kisses. I added another to their number.

"What are you thinking about, love?" he asked. The thoughts of any other person on the planet were easily heard and dissected by his advanced mind. Everyone but me. Even when I was human, any vampire's gift that affected the mind was rendered useless by my mind's "shield". Edward's inability to read my mind had been a constant source of irritation for him, until a few friends helped me figure out a way to lift the shield for a few minutes.

I pulled in the barrier with almost no effort. It was becoming a lot easier. I recalled the memories for him, smiling at the reaction in his melted gold eyes.

He pulled me to him and whispered, "Bella", into my hair. "Please tell me our beautiful daughter is sleeping."

"Like she hasn't slept in days", I laughed. "All the moving in is wearing her out."

His lips met mine in a thrilling, electric kiss. "Good," he sighed, and pulled me to him again.

"Good thing we don't need sleep?" I joked. The next kiss had a tension that couldn't wait. Edward scooped me up in his arms and whisked me into our bedroom.

* * * * *

The next time either of us noticed the time, it was six in the morning. I sighed and prepared to get up.

"What, you aren't excited for your first day at Dartmouth?" Edward chuckled. "Poor Alice. She's already on her way to play dress up."

"Alice will be Alice," I groaned. "How much time do we have?"

"Enough time to get Reneesme dressed before Alice tries to stick her in some ridiculous frilly thing again."

"Good to know." I kissed him and tore myself away to start Reneesme's day. Without sleep, mine had never ended.

"Mama!" Reneesme sang as I walked in. I lifted her feather light body and placed her on my hip. She pressed her hand against my cheek, showing me a picture of herself, alone with Carlisle and Esme. A question filled her thoughts.

I gave my daughter a squeeze. "Today Daddy and I are going to college. You know that's why we moved, sweetie. You're going to stay home with Grandpa Carlisle and Grandma Esme and they're going to home school you." Her thoughts took a negative turn. "No, Nessie. Daddy and I will be back before it's your dinner time." A picture of Jacob and Reneesme in the kitchen filled her mind. "Of course. Jacob will come over to make it with you."

Carlisle had decided it would be best to wean Reneesme off her diet of blood. The theory was that regular food would slow her growth slightly, and allow her a chance at a more human existence. Edward and I were all for it. The idea of a daughter who would reach maturity at age seven terrified us. However, Nessie was unhappy with the arrangement at first. That's when Jacob decided to make it a game. He would do anything for her. She was his imprint. So every day, Jacob would come over and they'd watch a cooking show and make dinner for themselves. They had everything they could possibly need: Alice could always foresee the ingredient list and Edward passed on their preferences to Esme.

The arrangements for later would have to wait, because I heard Alice's car snaking down our drive. I gave Reneesme a copy of her favorite book and went to greet my sister-in-law.

To my surprise, it was not a yellow Porsche parked outside. It was a red convertible, Rosalie's car. "Hi, Bella," she called. Her skin sparkled in the sun. I glanced down to see matching rainbows on my own. That was one part of vampire life it would be tough to adjust to. "Alice was having a tough time dressing the boys, and she didn't foresee too much difficulty, so here I am."

"Hey, Rose. Are our outfits really that bad?" I asked, thinking of the getups Alice had dreamed up before.

A mischievous grin appeared across her perfect face. "No, actually. Very conservative for Alice. Em and Jazz are just getting a little revenge for all past first-day-of-school outfits."

I heard Edward's laugh behind me. Rosalie glared at him. "And don't think I don't know that you're helping them. Poor girl's going to go insane."

Edward answered my unspoken question. "I'm seeing the outfits she picks out in her head, then I call Em when she's out of the room. Jasper and Emmett will change into the outfits exactly how Alice wants them-"

"And then Jasper makes Alice feel like there's something wrong with them." I finished. "Cruelly hilarious."

Rose laughed. "Anyway, lets get you dressed, Bella, before Alice hunts us all down." She followed me inside to the enormous closet.

I was still stunned by how much clothing Esme and Alice had been able to fit in the closet. It was almost as big as the rest of the house. After three days in New Hampshire, I was still awed.

"Here it is." Rosalie handed me what looked like a pretty inoffensive outfit. Grey turtleneck, jeans, belt and boots. She smiled at my relieved expression. "I told you it wasn't too bad."

I quickly dressed and then looked over myself in the mirror. My long brown hair was the same length it had been since my rebirth- vampires didn't change. My crimson eyes had faded, with a diet of animal blood, to liquid amber. The one feature that reminded me of my human days was my slightly uneven lips. Only when I looked at them could I see Isabella Swan, the average human, instead of the new Bella Cullen I was today.

I glimpsed Edward and Rosalie behind me in the mirror. "We'll never blend in," I whispered. Only a vampire could have heard it. "I remember seeing all of you together. It won't work." Seeing the five of them, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and Edward, for the first time, all unbearingly beautiful and completely alien, was a human experience I wasn't likely to forget. The panic of discovery had worried me for weeks.

"Bella." The sound of my name in his velvet voice never failed to calm me. "Bella, love, its going to be fine. We're going to the family house this morning to review what you need to do."

I bit my lip and tried to relax. I turned around and went into Edward's arms. All the tension disappeared.

"Thank God," Rosalie said. "I thought we were going to have to call Jasper."

Actually, I wouldn't have minded a minute with Jasper. His ability to control emotions would have been a great help to me on this stressful morning.

My new cell phone rang in the other room. I sped to it, answering before the first ring was over. "Hello?"

"Good morning, Bella. Are you and Edward ready?" Esme asked. Trust Esme to call and check on us. She wasn't actually Edward's mother. Technically, he had been a vampire longer than she had. But her warm, mothering instincts kept the Cullens a family. I had begun to see her as more of a mother than mother in law.

"We're almost ready to leave, Esme."

"Oh good. I don't want you to be late on your first day at Dartmouth! Did you feed Nessie yet?"

"No, not yet." Esme had been experimenting with making human food. She hadn't done so in decades.

"Alright, then I'll just have to make something up for her." I could hear her excitement through the phone.

"Esme, please don't go to too much trouble." I laughed, knowing that any protest was probably useless. Once Esme's mother hen side came out, there was no stopping her.

I heard her bell like laugh over the phone. "I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Bye, Esme!" I slipped the phone into the book bag Alice picked out for me. "Edward, time to go."

I met him, Rosalie, and Reneesme by the door. Nessie had her hand to Rosalie's cheek. Rosalie smiled. "I don't know, baby. Ask Daddy."

Her little hand found Edward's cheek he smiled uncertainly. He kissed her on the cheek. "Sure you can ride with Aunt Rose." Edward's overprotective side was equal parts adorable and irritating.

Reneesme gave me a brilliant smile, and then took off with Rosalie. "See you soon!" she yelled in her high, clear voice.

"Let's go, Mrs. Cullen." Edward took my hand, and we walked out to his new, silver Volvo. Old habits die hard.

**Chapter Two**

As we pulled up to the Cullen family house, Edward's expression changed from content to almost nervous. I looked at him more carefully. "What-"

I heard Alice's graceful steps flying down the stairs. The front door slammed open. "EDWARD ANTHONY MASEN CULLEN!" Her face was terrifying.

"Alice! What are you doing!?" Jasper yelled from inside. Waves of calm surrounded us, and Alice turned towards her husband's voice.

"Jazz, I'm still mad at you. You can't keep me calm forever." She flew up the stairs.

Jasper kissed her on the cheek. "Try me."

I headed into the house, Edward following me warily. "Don't let her get too far away, Jasper," he murmured.

"Bella!" Alice gave me a hug. I smiled down at her tiny frame. I gave Jasper a thumbs up. He smiled, drawing attention to the thousands of scars on his face. It was hard to reconcile my sweet brother-in-law with his violent past.

Carlisle stood up. "Is everyone ready?" We all nodded and took our unnecessary seats around the room. "Good. Now, Bella, can you remember a few things we've taught you to do in class?"

I squirmed in my seat a bit. "Fidget." Carlisle smiled approvingly. "Make minor mistakes in my answers. Don't sit near a window. Stare off into space after a few minutes."

"Very good. Does anyone else have a few pointers?" Carlisle didn't need to ask. The Cullens had been through the high school and college charades dozens of times. "Edward?"

"Don't write too fast. Rember that, Rosalie?"

"That was decades ago, buffoon," she snapped. "Bella, just try not to catch too much attention."

Emmett started laughing. "I really wish you could still blush, lil' sis." Edward shot him a warning look. Emmett ignored him. "One thing Rose and I know from experience, uh," he laughed, "keep the PDA to a minimum."

Esme sighed. "It's true. I've gotten more than a few phone calls over the years."

"That doesn't sound too difficult," I said. "Will it be really obvious if I'm holding my breath?" As a newborn vampire, it was very difficult to be around humans and their delicious smelling blood. I had done better than most, but an hour or two in a crowded room would be a challenge.

"Just move your shoulders a bit," Alice spoke up. She got a far off look in her eyes for a second. "Don't worry, you'll be fine," she declared. I'd never bet against Alice and her visions of the future.

I took a deep breath. The smells of my vampire family and daughter calmed me. "Alright, lets go."

"Bye, Mama!" Nessie hurtled towards me and jumped into my arms.

I hugged her gently, my newborn strength was no joke. "I'll see you later, baby."

* * * * *

Edward, Alice, Japser and I pulled up into the student parking lot at Dartmouth. "Its beautiful," I said. I could feel my excitement starting to affect Jasper. "Sorry, Jazz. So this is degree number-"

"Fifteen." Edward answered.

"Ten!" Alice and Jasper chorused from the backseat.

"So why do you guys even bother with college?" If I could teach the courses I was taking, I wouldn't even bother going to school.

I could almost feel them thinking. "I don't know, really," Edward said thoughtfully. "Its amusing, for one. And theres not much to do during the day."

"And its an excuse for a new wardrobe!" Oh, Alice. "Come on, guys, lets go!"

The four of us stepped out of the car, and looked around for Emmett and Rosalie. The entire crowd of students gasped in amazement as they pulled up in Rose's BMW. "Drawing attention to us already," Edward hissed under his breath. They gracefully climbed out of the car and met us on the sidewalk. Edward glared at Rosalie. "I told you to take the Mercedes."

She rolled her eyes. "Who died and made you Carlisle?" Everyone but Edward giggled. "Ready everyone?" I grabbed Edward's hand for support. We all held our breath and headed for our classes.

It was impossible to miss the stares we attracted. The looks in the eyes of our peers were equally amazed and terrified. I remembered my first Cullen sighting through my dim human eyes. The shock of the five, inhumanely gorgeous teens in the Forks High cafeteria was an unforgettable sight. Even though I was caught off guard by their looks, I still had felt a slight feeling of fear. I saw my old emotions reflected in their eyes.

A pressure on my hand snapped me out of my thoughts. Edward had tightened his grip on my hand. There was no doubt he was overhearing our male classmate's thoughts. I gave him a kiss on the cheek, and he unclenched a bit. "I can't blame you darling, I would feel the same way." I thanked my lucky stars that I couldn't hear the girl's thoughts about Edward. Nobody wanted a newborn-jealousy attack on their first day at Dartmouth.

We kept walking towards our buildings, and I began picking up bits of the gossip surrounding us.

"Who are THEY?"

"God, each girl is hotter than the last."

"Which one is the cutest? The blond emo looking one, the big muscely one, or the bronze haired one?"

"I'd like a piece of that one."

I started laughing quietly. Edward was not as amused. He whispered, "that's just the tip of the iceberg. Imagine whats going on inside their heads." I shuddered and giggled at the same time.

Finally. We reached a shaded area between the two buildings our little family would scatter to. "Rosalie, what do you have first?" Alice asked. I could tell she was desperately trying to see what would happen today.

"Family Dynamics," Rosalie replied. "Esme suggested that Emmett and I take it and learn to mature and respect each other better."

"Aw, Rose. Don't worry, we'll have fun after class," Emmett boomed. He couldn't exactly help it, he was just a loud, obnoxious, crazy vampire.

She rolled her eyes. "Lets go, Em." She tugged him off to class.

Alice looked at her new designer watch. "Jasper! We're going to be late for our American History class!"

"I could teach the thing myself, Alice," Jasper sighed.

She poked him. "Okay, Mr. Confederate Soldier Sir. Kindly march into the building." He rolled his eyes at Edward and me. "See you two when you're done with Shakespeare and Love!"

"Remind me why I decided to come to college?" I teased.

Edward laughed. "Because we get to take all the fun, pointless classes. Come on, Mrs. Cullen, we've got to get good seats." I gave him a smile. He could definitely still dazzle me.


	2. Three

**Chapter Three**

Edward and I strolled happily out of the building, his arm around my shoulders. I noticed the gossip start about us again, but I didn't care. I was too happy.

Shakespeare and Love was my new favorite class ever. We discussed Romeo and Juliet, and somehow every point hit something in our lives. The romantic mood blissed both of us out.

Alice and Jasper met up with us by a few benches. I saw Jasper's face as he picked up on my mood. His eyebrows shot up. "Enjoying college, Bella?"

"You could say that." I leaned my head against Edward's shoulder. "How many more minutes until they're done, Alice?"

She glanced over at the building where Emmett and Rosalie were learning to love each other in a more civilized fashion. "A minute. The professor is feeling nice." She looked alarmed. "Though I can't say the same for Rosalie."

As if on cue, Rosalie burst out of the building, Emmett trailing behind her, desperately trying to calm her down. Jasper immediately tried to help, but even his gift couldn't help her.

I could tell Edward had read Rose's angry thoughts because he tensed. He spoke in a tense, low voice. "We have two hours before our next class. We are going home before Rosalie snaps. Emmett, see you in a few minutes." With that, Emmett began almost dragging Rose to the car. She was shaking with anger, too upset to even resist.

The four of us started quickly- to humans at least- to the Volvo. Once safely inside, Edward backed out and we started rapidly heading back to the house.

"That is anger like I've never felt from Rosalie before," Jasper quietly spoke. "What's wrong with her, Edward?"

Edward spoke tiredly. "I suppose you should all be prepared. Instead of Family Dynamics, the teacher- who is pregnant I might add- decided to make it a two-hour long tribute to the miracle of life."

Realization dawned on Alice, Jasper and I. There was nothing Rosalie wanted more than to have a child. It was a sore subject in the Cullen family, and one that had caused Rosalie and Emmett a lot of pain. We pulled up to the drive. This was not going to be pretty.

Our advanced hearing picked the noise up long before a human would. It was a rhythmic cycle of smashes, cracks, and crashes. As we pulled up the house, we realized what it was. Rosalie, punching down trees, one by one. Emmett was pleading with her, begging her to come back inside.

The rest of us silently went into the house. Carlisle and Esme were watching her through the huge window, Renesmee in Carlisle's arms. Esme looked at us with a stricken expression. "I've never seen her so upset," she whispered. We all watched out the window as Emmett finally was able to pick her up and bring her back into the house. Her lack of resistance was shocking; the Rosalie I knew would have ripped his arm off.

Emmett sat down on the couch, still holding onto his unmoving wife. I sat in the cradle of Edward's arms, grateful for the comfort.

Carlisle spoke first. "Emmett, what's wrong?"

The pain in his voice shocked me. "Well, first off, the professor is about six months pregnant, glowing, and looking ecstatic." I saw Alice shoot Rose a sympathetic look. She didn't notice. "Then all she talked about was the miracle of life, and how great it was to be pregnant and bring a child into the world." Rosalie's fists clenched. Emmett strained to continue. "You know, any of that would have been bad, but-" he swallowed, "then she had to go and say-"

"SAY WHAT?" Rosalie screamed, jumping onto her feet. "THE PART WHERE SHE SAID SHE FELT TRULY, DEEPLY SORRY FOR ANY WOMAN WHO COULDN'T HAVE A CHILD?" She was out of control. I was terrified. She whirled around and continued to scream at Emmett. "OR MAYBE IT WAS WHEN SHE SAID THAT WOMEN THAT COULDN'T OR WOULDN'T HAVE CHILDREN MUST HAVE THE CARING, MOTHERING GENE MISSING?" Esme was on the verge of sobbing. Emmett reached his hand out to her.

Rosalie looked around at the horrorstruck faces of our family. She quieted, and began to sob, as much as a vampire could. "No," she whispered. "I think it was when she stopped Emmett and I on the way out and said-and-and-said-'You two will have beautiful children someday.'" With that final confession, she collapsed to the floor and cried.

I couldn't watch. It was the most heartbreaking moment I had ever seen. I grabbed Renesmee and flew out of the room.

I held onto my daughter like I was holding onto my sanity. In a way, I was. The raw pain and angst in Rosalie's eyes chilled me to the bone. My breath started to come in gasps. Renesmee stroked my hair.

The sounds of the living room drifted towards us. Rosalie sobbing, Esme choking back her cries, and the other's breathing. I recognized Edward's footsteps starting down the hall. They paused. "Don't," Carlisle murmured. "Give her a few minutes." Relief flooded me. Thank God for Carlisle.

A hot little hand pressed insistently against my cheek. Nessie's sad and inquisitive thoughts accompanied a picture of Rosalie. "Mama, why can't she have a baby? Why is she so sad?" I started to answer her, but I couldn't get the words out. "Mama?"

Edward's footsteps flew down the hall, and then the heat spot that was my daughter disappeared. Her clear voice softly asked Edward the same questions. "Daddy, what's wrong with Aunt Rose?"

He swallowed. "Well, sweetie, not everyone can have a child like Mama and I did. People like us can't have babies. You're our little miracle, because you were made before Mama was a vampire. Aunt Rose is sad because she wants a little girl or boy just like you."

"That teacher made her upset when she talked about babies?" she asked. Edward nodded, and a light went on in Renesmee's eyes. She leapt down from Edward's arms and headed towards the living room.

"No, Renesmee!" The sight of our little girl would be sure to send Rosalie over the edge.

Before anyone could reach her, Renesmee had gone straight up to Rosalie and had wrapped her little arms around Rose's shaking form. Miraculously, the child's touch seemed to calm her. She opened her arms and pulled Nessie to her. They sat there holding each other.

Carlisle stood up and beckoned us all upstairs. We cleared out the room, leaving Rosalie and Renesmee alone. The family met in Carlisle's office. He gently closed the door, and then he spoke.

"What are your thoughts?"

Esme answered first. "We have to do something. She can adopt."

"No, that won't work." Alice shook her head. "That would involve too many people knowing."

I looked at Emmett. He looked into the faces of his family, one by one. "There has to be a way. I don't care what it takes. It's killing her." He took a deep breath. "Carlisle, you have to figure out something. There's a way- I know there has to be a way." He buried his face in his hands. It was the most upset I had ever seen my usually silly brother in law.

"We can't. It's not possible." Edward said in a low voice. "Even if we could get an egg or two from her, how would the baby grow? We would have to use a surrogate, and it would end up killing her."

Carlisle sat down and stared out the window for a long moment. He looked at us with eyes full of thought. "I- I don't know," he admitted. "But I know I'm going to try."

Edward jumped to his feet. "It's too dangerous! There is no possible way this can work!" He was furious.

Quiet Jasper spoke up. "Edward, look at Rosalie. I know you felt her pain through me. Is there honestly any way you could refuse to help her?"

"Edward, we have to at least try," I whispered. "Imagine life without Renesmee, now that we have her. Imagine never being able to feel that joy, but watching someone else have it. We have to."

Esme stared into my eyes. "Bella," she said forcefully. "This is not your fault. She wanted a child before Renesmee was born. You are not moving, you are not apologizing to Rosalie for having a child." Esme's mothering side strikes again.

"Alice, Jasper, Edward, and Bella. We all desperately need to talk, but you have a second class. Appearances are crucial today. Go." Carlisle ordered gently.

Alice hesitated. "Come on, Alice," Jasper said softly. He grabbed her hand, and the four of us headed downstairs. We silently passed Rosalie and Renesmee. Nessie had fallen asleep in Rose's arms. Rosalie was combing through her hair gently with her fingers. Her face was filled with sadness, love, and pain. It was all I could do to turn away from her and walk out the door.


	3. Author's Note

This is a pointless chapter.

This is just so the numbers on my chapters will even out.

Thank you for putting up with my OCD ways.

Thank you for reviewing.

Your feedback is nice.

Hahaha I'm so creepy.

Keep reading and enjoy!


	4. Four

**Chapter Four**

We returned to the house after a long day of sleepwalking through our classes. Renesmee napped on the couch in Jacob's arms. Carlisle must have called him. "Hey, guys," he murmured.

When we moved to New Hampshire, one thing we knew was that Jacob was a necessity. One, because Renesmee couldn't be without him. He was her rock, her best friend, her Jacob. All the things he had once been to me. Two, because she was his imprint. The pain we would cause him by taking her away would shatter him. And my third, private reason. It was my way of apologizing for all the pain I caused him.

"Hello, Jacob. How's my daughter?" Edward asked quietly. Instead of driving a wedge further between them, Jake's love for Renesmee had brought Edward and Jacob closer. Thank God for small miracles.

"She's fine, I guess. Real broken up about Rosalie." Jacob looked uncomfortable. There was certainly no love lost between him and Rose. "We ate and then she fell asleep a few minutes ago." He shifted his weight. "I have her all day tomorrow, right?"

I nodded. "We have back to back classes all day."

He whistled under his breath. "Damn, Bells, that sucks." I could still tell he was excited to have a full day with Nessie.

Alice and Jasper had made there way over to the loveseat and were just sitting there holding hands. Their quiet, loving relationship was adorable. Edward tugged me over to the couch with Jake and Nessie. We all sat there for a while, absorbed in our thoughts.

The sound of Rosalie crying reached us downstairs. The comfortable atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense. It only took about five minutes before we were hightailing it out of there. "We'll be back soon," Edward called over his shoulder.

I tore off running into the woods, sprinting away from the pain and angst of the house. Alice and Jasper headed south, where I knew they had found a special spot. Edward and I kept running. I didn't know what else to do.

I didn't know how far we had gone when we came to a stop. We were very still for a moment, and then Edward pulled me into a tight embrace.

My feelings for Edward grew stronger each day. I was terrified that my transformation into a vampire would change how I felt, or worse, how Edward felt. Our bond had only grown stronger. He was my everything. It was amazing how one person could make you feel how he made me feel, and how easily he could calm me, bring me back to earth. A moment in his arms could change my entire mood. I pulled in my mental shield, as I was starting to do in moments like this. My feelings flooded my brain, showing them as I only knew how. Our formerly forbidden feelings were difficult to express.

We looked searchingly, intensely into each other's eyes for a minute. His lips touched mine softly. "Ready?" I whispered.

"After you," he replied.

We began running back towards the house, stopping to feed on a few deer.

Alice and Jazz were still out when we returned. Renesmee was awake though, helping Jacob with his literature homework. The sight was hilarious. A four year old looking girl helping a young man with his homework. Edward went upstairs to Carlisle's study and I sat next to Nessie and Jake. Renesmee giggled as she corrected Jacob, again, as she informed me. The light and laughter in her eyes was genuine, something I would have to thank Jacob for. He could always make my daughter smile.

I could just barely hear the noises from upstairs. Breathing I recognized as Emmett's was near Rosalie's. Esme's footsteps were quietly winding through the rooms and tidying. I heard Carlisle pacing while Edward spoke quietly. "It might…" was all I caught.

Apparently Rosalie did too. I raced up the stairs when I heard her fly across the hall to Carlisle's study.

"What? What might work?" she demanded.

Carlisle looked stricken. "Rosalie, darling, it's just an idea. We have no clue if it's even possible." He didn't want to get her hopes up, I realized. I wholeheartedly agreed. The less pain we could cause my sister in law the better or our hearts would have to keep breaking alongside hers.

"I don't care." Her words were forceful. "Now, Carlisle, what. Might. Work?"

CLIFF ENDING! Mainly just because I haven't completely decided what their plan is. Any ideas, please let me know. I have a rough plan though. Who knows how it might turn out.

Thanks for all your feedback! I had no idea anyone would like this at all. You guys are the best.


	5. Five

I am so sorry about the wait, I just couldn't think of something good!

Thank you all so much for your wonderful support.

I'm still not sure if I like this, so if you have a better idea please let me know.

**Chapter Five.**

"I suggest you sit down. It's a long story," Carlisle sighed. And then he began to speak:

It was a while ago, probably around 1800 when I first heard of Amani. This was during my time with the Volturi, and she was all Aro spoke of for quite some time. He desperately wanted her to join him, in a way that he wanted Edward and Alice. Amani's vampire life began about the same time that Aro, Marcus, and Caius were created. She is more powerful than the Volturi, but she chooses not to use this power. They do anything she orders them to do, and when she intervenes, her word is law. She was changed as a ten year old, but her mental capacity is vastly beyond any other beings. She has the remarkable ability to grant any desire possible. Many legends, such as genies, stem from Amani's story.

However, Amani can be childish and petty. Before fulfilling someone's dream, she gives them three tests to "prove their desire," as she puts it. The tests are cruel and nearly impossible. Most either fail or quit. But if you pass, your reward is perfect beyond any dream you've ever had.

"So she could-".

"Yes, Rosalie. Amani could find a way to give you a child," Carlisle replied hesitantly. "However, I must warn you that it is a difficult road. Your tasks would put you in danger."

"I don't care. This, this baby, it's what I want. I don't know why it is, but it has become impossible for me to wait any longer. If it doesn't happen soon, I'm afraid I'll have to pull an Edward and head to Italy."

"Rose," Emmett pleaded.

"No, Emmett. I need this. Please." She looked close to sobbing. He pulled her to him.

"Okay." He cleared his throat, and locked eyes with Carlisle. "Okay. Where do we find this girl?"

"India."

Esme spoke up. "We'll leave next week."

The front door slammed open. Alice and Jasper appeared in the doorway. "Why are we going to India?" Alice demanded.

"Al, I'll explain later," I said.

"Jasper, I need you to get ten tickets for a flight to India next week," Esme ordered gently. "Go, I can see that it's difficult for you here." Jasper didn't need to be told twice. His "gift" of feeling other's emotions was taking its toll.

"Seven," Edward interrupted. "Renesmee and Bella will not be going, and therefore Jacob will stay home with them."

"Edward, are you crazy? She's going, and I won't even deign to correct your assumption that I will be staying," I retorted.

His tone was icy. "I am not dragging you and our daughter halfway around the world, to meet a sadistic wish granting vampire. You staying with Jacob."

"Fine. Have fun telling Nessie that she won't see Mommy or Daddy for at least a month, because there's not a chance in hell that you're leaving me here," I snapped. "Carlisle, Esme, it's Renesmee's bedtime. I apologize for leaving so abruptly. I will see you tomorrow morning." I gave them both quick hugs and then stormed downstairs.

"Grab your coat, baby," I called to Nessie. "Jake, thanks again. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, your little girl is an excellent tutor," he joked.

I laughed. "See ya." I picked up my daughter and headed outside, strapped her in her seat, and started the car.

Edward appeared outside the driver side window. I tilted my head towards the passenger seat. He clenched his fists, but went around.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I can't even think of a possibility where either of you could get hurt."

"Edward, I can take care of myself now. I am part of this family, and I won't be left out of this."

"I just- I can't lose you." God, I loved him. Resist, Bella, resist!

I glared at him. "We make decisions together. You are right, Renesmee is staying. But I am going. You're my husband, I'm your wife. We do things together. Forever. Because I love you."

He pulled one of my hands off the steering wheel and kissed it. "Forever."

"Wipe the cocky grin off your face." I couldn't help it though. I melted.

**Thanks for reading. I'll update again within a few days.**


	6. Six

**Chapter Six**

The next four days were a flurry of planning and tension. Rosalie grew more impatient by the day, and lashed out at anyone, including Carlisle and Esme. I didn't want to go, but we had to. For Rose.

All too soon, we were headed to India. Saying goodbye to Renesmee had been tough. She looked so sad, but I knew she would be in Jacob's capable, loving hands. I might have believed that, but that didn't stop Edward from sending Jacob the most terrifying warning glare I've ever seen. I told him I may have to talk to this Amani girl about his over protective issue.

FLASHBACK:

"_Rosalie, there's always time to turn back," Emmett begged._

_She responded with a deadly scowl._

"_Please, Rose. I don't want you to be hurt," he choked._

_In that moment, she looked as if she could cave. And then a toddler walked by. She gave Emmett a tender kiss. "I'm sorry, love. I have to."_

_He nodded in resignation, and led her towards the plane._

The tiny little plane we were trapped in felt like a hot pressure cooker. I wasn't breathing, and I doubt that the majority of the Cullen's were. I kept glancing over at Rosalie. Emmett had insisted that she have a window seat so that he could try to keep her from pacing. Despite Jasper's best efforts, she sat staring out the window while needlessly fidgeting.

As much as I wanted the wait to be over, I was petrified as to what would happen when we actually got there. Rosalie's desperation would lead her to do anything, and that was exactly what we were all afraid of. I worried that she would either hurt herself or do something that she would never forgive herself for.

*****

We arrived in India in the late afternoon, under heavy cloud cover. Temporary relief filled me. At least we could get to this cruel wish granting girl without being exposed. The boys threw the bags in the trunk of our rented Porsche Cayenne, one of the only acceptable Cullen cars that would fit all of us.

While the car winded through the mountains, Edward played with the strands of my hair. It was obvious that he was trying to distract himself. I don't think it was working. I could read his face like one of my classic novels, and he was growing more strained and uneasy by the second. Edward and Rosalie bickered like the siblings they truly were, but they were intensely loyal and protective of each other.

Our eyes met, and everything that needed to be said was expressed in that moment.

"It's okay. We're together," he said.

I squeezed his marble hand. "That's all I need."

*****

As we reached the top of the mountain, a shining palace of marble and gold shone in the moonlight. There were orbs of gold flanking a large one in the center of the roof. A balcony jutted gracefully out of all four floors. A giant, gilded doorway sat in the center of the building. The many windows were put together with stained glass in reds and golds. I could see their reflection in the long, elegant fountain below. I touched my fingertips to the window. Alice sighed, "wow," behind me.

A young vampire man met us at the golden gate. He was the only vampire I'd ever seen that looked like he could give Emmett a run for his money. It was clear that his purpose was to intimidate. Mission accomplished.

"Stop here, please," he commanded with the slightest accent. "How many rooms shall you require?"

"Four, if it's not too much of a bother." Carlisle replied politely.

He nodded. "Alright. Kindly vacate your car. Someone will meet you at the front door." We quickly complied.

The night air was warm, a contrast to the cold feeling of dread that was pulsing through me. Within a few minutes, we would be meeting the woman- girl, I guess- that could possibly tear Rosalie to pieces, if not our whole family. The rest of them looked as tense as I was. Jasper and Alice held each other's hands in a death grip. Emmett looked protectively at Rosalie while she strode determinedly towards the door. Carlisle and Esme alone looked calm, but anyone who knew them well could see the worry in their shared gazes.

A door creaked open somewhere in the palace, and I jumped. Edward wound an arm around my shoulders and I leaned into him. I felt our earlier words come true. Whatever happened, we would be safe together.

We reached the threshold, and Rosalie didn't hesitate to knock loudly on the door. Another vampire in the same mold as the gateman met us there. He didn't speak, just simply gestured a bulky arm towards the back wing of the palace.

Even under the immense pressure and fear, I could still appreciate the beauty of the building. It was large and open, and lavishly but simply decorated. I saw miniature gardens, a pool, and a gorgeous sitting room on our procession.

At the end of the hallway, an ornate wooden door was waiting. The guard beat a complicated knock into the door. A high, clear voice responded from within. "Send them in!"

This was it. I took a deep breath, grabbed Edward's hand, and steeled myself for whatever lied behind the door.

My eyes were immediately drawn to the golden chair in the center of the room. A beautifully embroidered purple curtain was draped above it. A simple white pillow was placed on the seat. All of this was gorgeous, but the girl sitting cross legged on the pillow demanded my attention.

She was tiny. Barely more than four feet tall, and very thin. Her skin was pale white as all vampire skin was, but there were simple, intricate tattoos detailing her arms. Her thick black hair hung down her back, reaching below her waist. Her face held a simple yet stunning childlike beauty. A sheer silk, red veil draped from a gilded headband, slightly shielding her eyes. Her extraordinary eyes. They were enormous, well above average size. Instead of being the standard vampire red, they were a soft but breathtaking turquoise. Between them was a brilliant ruby.

We stood, shocked and still, as her unusual eyes inspected each of us. She seemed pleased, because she stood up and regally walked towards us. She was graceful in a way I had never seen before. If Alice's movements looked like a ballerinas, this girls would have been the world's prima ballerina. With each step, the golden bracelets she had on each arm clinked along with her matching ankle bracelets. Her translucent orange silk harem pants tied at her ankle. A simple white scarf was knotted at one hip. She wore a deep pink shirt of the same material, and it had a v- neckline and loose, short sleeves. She stopped a few feet away from us, and looked up with an expectant smile on her face.

"Well?"

**Thanks for reading! I'll update soon.**


	7. Seven

**Chapter Seven**

"Amani," Carlisle began, "My name is Carlisle Cullen. You may remember that I spent a few years-"

"With the Volturi?" She interrupted in a childlike yet elegant voice. "Yes, Aro and the rest have spoken highly of you."

"They are very kind," Carlisle answered. "May I introduce to you my family?"

She nodded regally. "Of course." Amani turned and bounded over to her throne, randomly throwing in some little flips. She seemed like more of a playful goddess than a sadistic vampire. She was the strangest, yet most intriguing person I had met yet.

She settled in on her pillow and beckoned us forward. "Give me a brief history of yourselves. Oldest to youngest, please."

Carlisle, Jasper, Edward, Esme, and Alice gave brief outlines of their histories. Then it was Rosalie's turn. "Rosalie Hale. When I was eighteen, I was raped by my fiancé and his friends," she said, consciously making her tone emotionless. "Carlisle found and saved me. I found Emmett a few years later, and we have been married many times. The reason I'm here is because-"

"We will discuss that later, Rosalie," Amani decreed. "Next, please."

A flicker of rage flashed through Rosalie's eyes, but she swallowed it and retreated while Emmett said his piece.

Edward squeezed my hand reassuringly and then I spoke. "I'm Bella Cullen; I was Isabella Swan until last year. I met Edward and the Cullen's when they moved to Forks three years ago. We fell in love and were married while I was still human. I became pregnant on our honeymoon and was changed when our daughter was born. I've been a vampire for only a year now. I have the ability to block other vampire's powers that involve the mind." Amani's eyes bore into me.

"Yes, I heard that daughter of yours," she gestured to Edward and I, "caused a bit of a problem not too long ago. Correct?"

Edward took the opportunity to reply. "There was a large misunderstanding in which Renesmee was mistaken for an illegal immortal child. We resolved the issue with the Volturi and have been living our lives in peace."

Amani gave a half smile. "Good. Well, Carlisle, I must say I find your family simply fascinating. I find it only fair if I share some things about myself. I am Amani. I was changed three thousand years ago, when I was ten years old. I had this palace built for me by some friends of the Volturi years ago. I, like all of you, follow a unique diet. An old member of the Italian coven developed a mixture that satisfies my thirst and keeps me from decaying, in a sense, like Aro and the others have." That must explain her eye color, and how her skin and eyes have not taken on the odd quality that the Volturi's have. "The humans even have a name for it."

She looked at us questioningly. "No? Well, they call it the Fountain of Youth." She beamed. Who was this girl? The Volturi were putty in her hands and she drank from the Fountain of Youth regularly. I shuddered.

Amani's eyes flicked to me and she smirked. "Now, as much as I would adore discussing Rosalie's request, I have a visitor coming that I must attend to." A familiar knock on the door made her head snap to attention.

"Oh send her in!" Amani squealed. I was shocked. She actually seemed like a regular ten year old.

A similarly young looking vampire stepped through the doors. She had blood red eyes, and brown hair framing an angelic face. Her black cloak billowed behind her.

Jane.

I reflexively shot out my shield to protect my family, and Edward's jaw clenched audibly. The rest of the family was battling with their fight or flight instinct.

Of course Jane was Amani's best friend. That was just our luck. Her presence would certainly make Rosalie's wish for a child almost impossible. It took all I had to refrain from throwing a tantrum or ripping Jane's head off. I could only hope that Jane deferred to Amani like the rest of the Volturi seemed to.

The two tiny vampires embraced and shrieked greetings. Amani glanced over at us, and then whispered something to Jane that I couldn't catch. She waved her hand dismissively at us. "Oh, you can go. I'll expect you back here at six tomorrow morning. Gustav will show you your rooms." She turned back to Jane, and the malicious Italian turned and glared at me. She smirked and then turned her eyes onto Edward.

He braced himself almost imperceptibly, waiting for the pain that never came. My ability to shield mental activity had only grown stronger.

Recognition flickered in Jane's glaring eyes and she stomped her foot petulantly, and glowered at me from across the room. Triumphant, I gave her a sweet smile.

She turned back to Amani and muttered darkly in her ear. Amani giggled.

"Bella." Edward tugged on my hand. "Bella, come on."

We retreated out the doors. I looked around at the splendor, but somehow it didn't seem so idyllic anymore.

**Sorry for the late and crappy update! This is a kind of filler chapter. Rosalie's first test will be the next chapter, which I hope to have up in a few days. Hope your holidays went well! Reviews are much appreciated ******


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